No matter what these two stories amount to, Michael Phelps and Alex Rodriguez have lost a part of their hero-like status.

We all have those sports heroes that make us want to become them and emulate all that they do. These heroes are no longer—when they do things that make us wonder, what were they thinking?

Recently suspended for three months from the U.S. Swimming Team, Michael Phelps has explaining to do to all of his fans, young and old. Just about every American citizen has become a fan of Phelps since his amazing run at the Olympics. He was making a lot of money and a lot of fans when he decided to smoke marijuana. Great job Michael.

The only positive that can be taken from the situation is that he admitted it right away once presented with the incriminating evidence. One cannot say the same for A-Rod, however.

Evidence has presented itself showing that Rodriguez tested positive for two types of steroids in 2003. In 2007, A-Rod claimed that he had never used steroids and never thought or considered using steroids during an interview with ESPN. When asked to comment on the allegations recently, he chose to respond: "Talk to the unions. I'm not saying anything."

I personally believe that A-Rod's issues will be more of a dent in the perfect outlook of these athletes more than Phelps'. Either way, however, people will now look at both with a sense of disgust for what has occurred.

Join the club, you two. The likes of Palmeiro, Clemens, Bonds, and McGwire will love to see you. The world of athletes with tainted views grows and grows. Whether steroids or weed, it is still a problem to be doing these kinds of things in front of young fans everywhere.

Athletes that act like this will be replaced with the clean and faultless for our hero choices.

Phelps fans will go back to loving Mark Spitz.

A-Rod fans will exchange his bobble head for true home run hitters.

Sports fans in general will just think to themselves, "Another one bites the dust."